Ava's Birthday

Here is a fact-based post about sweet Ava's birthday. I want to write a separate "feelings" post.

I had a feeling a few weeks ago that I should go ahead and schedule an induction. I'm glad I did, because the last few days of my pregnancy were fraught with pregnancy-induced hypertension. (I had wanted to let nature take its course, avoid an epidural, and avoid paying an anesthesiologist. I'm getting very cheap in my old age.)

This extremely attractive and happy picture is of me last Sunday. I'd had a migraine all week, was swelling in my hands and face, and my blood pressure was on the rise. Hooray for PIH!

I had just woken up, and Nils started taking pictures. I was saying these words as this picture was taken: "Nils, stop. Seriously, it's rude." I was a delight to be around.

On delivery day, I was told to be at the hospital at 7:00 am. We were literally walking out the door when they called and said 3 women had just come in in labor, so I had to wait.

So I did.
Once again, we can thank Nils and his insatiable need to take pictures.

We got the call to go to the hospital. They hooked me up around 11:00 am. We watched two episodes of Glee. It made the time pass oh-so-quickly. The contractions were coming, but I was handling it like a champ. At this point I was still seriously considering NOT having an epidural. At about 1:50 the contractions were coming fast and furious about a minute apart- and hurting lots. I went from watching Mr. Shu & Co. dance and sing about to realizing I had a matter of minutes before things were getting serious, and if I was going to get the epidural it was then or not at all. My water broke while I was getting it, and I was hurting a lot. Then...that magical, warm, numb, tingley feeling came. (And now I owe that guy like $500. It was worth it at the time.) It numbed everything below my belly-button, but I still felt every contraction. I told the nurse that it was going to go fast from that point. Sure enough, I was at a 9. She called the doctor, who made it just in time. One push!

Ava Catherine Rasmusson
December 1, 2009 at 2:30 pm
6 lbs. 5 oz. 19"

El Doctor- Hey, thanks for showing up, buddy!

The doctor said I had the longest umbilical cord he's ever seen. It was like 3 1/2 feet long or something crazy. He kept coming back and looking at it. I don't know how to grow big babies, but I can grow freakishly long umbilical cords. It's how I roll.

The hospitals have major visitor restrictions because of the swine flu, so the kids weren't allowed at all. It was kind of sad that they had to wait until I got home to meet their new sister. Though I have to admit, it was nice to have a couple of days with just Ava and me before the chaos ensued. I love her.